Closer to the Heart
by hopefulheart108
Summary: Apetrully begins to get interested in what Hope could do and wants to find out more about her. But he knows that Hope wouldn't easily tell him from the past, so he decided to ask the only two he knows Hope's past.
1. Chapter 1

_Name: Hopefulheart108 (Hope for short) (Never told anyone her last name)_

_Fur: Pink and white with a very noticeable white heart-shaped marking on her chest. Very soft.  
_

_Red Eyes: Becomes very angry. Angry enough to murder someone or at least beat them into a pulp. Let Commander Apetrully hug her to calm her down. Say something mean about her mother to activate this side of her, but don't._

_Blue Rings in Eyes: Very similar to the red eyes, but she seems to be slightly crazy with these blue rings. Not exactly sure how to activate or calm her down. Possibly activating it when she's a breaking point of thinking she's losing her dream. Possible was of calming her in this state would to make her realize what she's doing. Not sure about the two, but it could be possible._

_Tail: Likes to bend tail in different shapes depending on mood she's feeling like a heart for happiness. **Never** pet her tail. No matter what. She becomes more... loving._

_Abilities: Writing, singing, and a bit of cooking. Maybe more we don't know yet._

_Languages She learned: Human, japanese, some rabbit._

_Understands: Human, japanese, animals, pokemon._

_Fighting: Never seen her fight much, unless angered. Can't really tell if she's naturally strong or it's just the anger that makes her powerful._

_Knowledge: With the internet, she must know a lot of things I couldn't list._

_Likes: Too many to list, but mostly sweet and anime._

_Hates: Not much, but really hates seafood and yet she's friends with the aquatic royals._

_Birthday: May 2, 1998._

_Technology: Compare to most of the Hidden Kingdom, she's pretty much more modern with the things she have._

_Species: Monkey, but can turn into a human with a magic necklace._

_Friends: Practically everyone in Big Green, pokemon, and a couple of ponies in Equestria._

_Love Life__: Not sure if she's interested in anyone yet. Also, not sure if she still have that crush on that monkey in the past._

_Problems: Have a hard letting go of things in the past. Also, sometimes have a feeling to repay the person if the person did a big favor for her._

* * *

In the halls of Big Green, Lin Chung slowly look up from the pink notebook with a white heart on the cover to look at the commander who wrote down this information about Hope.

"She becomes more 'loving' when someone pets her tail?" Lin Chung said, confuse.

"Maybe 'loving' isn't the right word, but it's more appropriate." Apetrully said, slightly embarrassed. "Please don't ask how I know that. It's kind of a long and embarrassing story to tell."

Lin Chung raise an eyebrow, but try to forget about that and ask, "Why did you made this?"

"To keep on track on what Hope can do. There must be many more interesting things she can do that we don't know about. Hope seems to really like to hide the things about her." Apetrully said.

"Why are you telling me this?" Lin Chung ask.

"Well, you're pretty close to Hope, so I thought you might know something that I might not know."

"There's this one thing she've told me, but I don't think she would apprieate it if I told you."

"What is it?"

"I pinkie promised."

Apetrully gave Lin Chung a deadpan look and said, "You pinkie promised? That sounds so childish from you. Actually, it sounds childish from anyone, but from you..."

"Are you done?" Lin Chung ask.

"Yes," Apetrully said. "Can't you break just this once?"

"I guess so. What is she going to do?"

Before he could say another word, Lin Chung heard, "Hi!" and was tackled into a hug by Hope, who came out of no where. Apetrully quickly took the notebook and put it into his shirt.

"Forever..." Hope quietly said, slowly letting go of the harmonic warrior.

Lin Chung doesn't know what she means by that, but have a feeling that he shouldn't break his promise.

"So... What are you two talking about?" Hope ask.

"Nothing! Nothing at all." Apetrully nervously said.

"Really? I saw you trying to hide a notebook in your shirt. I may be pretty native, but I'm not blind."

Hope grab on the sides of the commander's head and ask, "What are you trying to hide?"

Apetrully shivered under Hope's stare. For some reason, her stare seems to be colder as she slowly got close to his face until Lin Chung said, "Just some military... stuff?"

Hope let go of the commander, turn to the harmonic warrior, and said, "Military stuff? What about that pink notebook?"

"No one would expect anything from a pink notebook." Lin Chung said.

"Oh... That makes sense." Hope said with a smile. "Well, goodbye."

Hope walk away, humming a song. As she did, Lin Chung notice the commander writing something in the notebook. The harmonic warrior look over the commander's shoulder and saw that he wrote, _Usually nice, but can be actually frightening at times._


	2. Chapter 2

Hope slowly walk around Big Green's halls. Far behind her were Apetrully and Lin Chung trying to sta-

"It's not stalking or spying. It's just looking at her from afar to find information about her." Apetrully whispered.

"Who are you talking to?" Lin Chung ask.

"I have no idea. I thought I heard someone talking. Also, do you have any other ideas how we can find out more about her?"

"Can't we just talk to her about it?"

"No!"

"No?"

"Well, you know Hope seems to not like to talk about herself unless something happens."

"You two know that I'm not deaf and can hear some of the things you were saying, right?" Hope said, making the two freeze in place.

Hope turn to them and ask, "What were you two talking about? I wasn't exactly listening."

"Nothing. Nothing." Apetrully said.

He suddenly found himself pinned by the shoulders against the wall by Hope, who was very close to his face. Apetrully gulped as Hope said, "Really? It didn't sound like nothing to me."

Apetrully nervously chuckled and said, "Close, aren't we?"

Hope seem to have a sly smirk on her face and said, "Just tell me and it'll be all over now."

_So close... I think I can feel her breath, and is that her tail brushing against my leg? _Apetrully thought, shivering a little and yet at the same time, he wants to lean his head forward.

"Just some military stuff." Lin Chung said.

"Oh..." Hope said, letting go of Apetrully. "You shouldn't try to keep this military stuff such a big deal, or something might happen."

Hope smiled and said, "Well, goodbye."

As Hope walk away, Apetrully said, "Lin Chung,"

"Yes, commander?" Lin Chung said.

"Why didn't you stop her from pinning me into the wall?" Apetrully ask.

"Sorry. I was surprised."

Apetrully sweatdropped until he said, "Since that was a bit dangerous to just follow her to wait for her to do something, we should try something else."

"Ask-"

"No!" Apetrully shouted. "Is there anyone who known Hope before she came to Big Green?"

"Actually, there's two." Lin Chung said.

* * *

In front of a small town's cafe, Lin Chung and Apetrully waited for the two people who could possibly know more about Hope than they do now, feeling their patience running very thin. The commander look around and thought, _When are they coming? Maybe they're not coming after all. They're part of Highroller's army. Is his cousin part of his army? I just want to know more about Hope._

"Commander," He heard Lin Chung said.

The commander's eyes darted towards the two he needed to see: Harper the Harpy Eagle Queen and Sportiflex, Highroller's lookalike cousin.

"If this is a way of trying to convince me to join you, it's not going to work." Harper said.

"Why didn't you bring your army?" Lin Chung murmured to himself, seeing the only harpy eagle is Harper.

"It isn't about that." Apetrully said, standing very closely to Lin Chung. "It's about Hope."

"That long-tailed varmint? What about her?" Sportiflex said.

"Well... We're pretty much interested in what she can do, and since you two known her longer than we do, we were thinking you could tell us more about her."

"What's in it for us?"

"Um..."

Apetrully quickly glance at Harper, who seems to be looking at the cakes display at the cafe's window, and look back at Highroller's cousin.

"I'll buy you cake?" Apetrully said, almost feeling nervous.

"Yes!" Harper shouted, then quickly went to the cafe.

* * *

Later... At one of the cafe's table, Lin Chung and Apetrully waited while Sportiflex and Harper eat chocolate cake.

_At least Harper seems to be much easier to deal with compared to the other royals in the past. I would have been captured by now, waiting until First Squad comes. Instead of that, I just have to give her sweets and she'll talk to me. Wait a minute... _Apetrully thought.

"What were we talking about again?" Sportiflex ask.

"Hope." Apetrully and Lin Chung dull said at the same time.

"Oh yeah." Harper said. "What about her?"

"We would like to know more about her." Lin Chung said. "Her past, her abilities, something like that."

"Hm... We're not going to talk about her past. Seems to be too personal." Sportiflex said.

_Even her past is personal to her enemies? Was her past much more worst than I thought? _Apetrully thought.

"But we can talk about some of the things she can do." Harper said with a smile.

"Also, we're only going to talk about one ability she can do." Sportiflex said.

"That's all we can get?" Apetrully said.

"It's good enough, commander." Lin Chung said. "What is it?"

"Well, it have to do with her while her white heart marking." Harper said.

"The one on her chest?" Apetrully said.

"Where else? Well, that marking of her..."

Lin Chung and Apetrully listen very closely as Harper lean towards them.

"...Does absolutely nothing." Harper said, making the two disappointed.

"Seriously, what can she really do?" Apetrully said.

Sportiflex and Harper slowly look at each other, and look back at the two members of Big Green. Harper seemed to pull out a small box out of no where and said, "Give this to her. It might make her talk."

The box was wrapped with a white wrapping paper and a light pink bow on top of it. The two members of Big Green slowly look at the queen and Lin Chung ask, "Where did you get this?"

"I got it from her mother before she... you know." Harper said with a sadden expression. "I was going to keep it for myself, but since you two are so desperate to learn more about her, take it."

"What is it?" Apetrully ask.

"I think you should find that out for yourself." Sportiflex said. "For now, you pay the bill."

As Sportiflex and Harper walk away, Apetrully look confuse at first until the waiter gave him the bill.

"Oh..." Apetrully said.

_At least I got something that could help me learn more about her. _Apetrully thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Apetrully held the small box in his hand tightly, slowly walking towards Hope's room. He wanted to learn more about the pink and white monkey. He always felt she was hiding something about herself, like how he always hide his secrets from her.

The commander stood in front of Hope's door and took a deep breath. He gulped and knock on the door. Hope answered the door with a small smile on her face.

"Hello again, Apetrully." Hope said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I want you talk about something..." Apetrully said, entering her room.

"What is it?"

The two sat at the couch as Hope notice the wrapped box.

"Ooooo..." Hope said, interested in the box. "Can I open it?"

As Hope quickly took the box and starts to unwrap it, Apetrully said, "That's what I want to talk about, which is what's in the box."

Moving the paper away, Hope realize the box was a black velvet box used for jewelry. She slowly open it, revealing to be a silver ring with a small, heart-shaped emerald. The two slowly look at each other as Apetrully said, "It's not what you think."

"It's a mother's ring." Hope said.

"A mother's what?" Apetrully said since he never heard of this kind of jewelry.

"A mother ring. It's a ring with the mother's children's birthstones. It's my mother's."

Seriousness, with a bit of anger, appear in her pink eyes as she ask, "Where did you get this? I've been looking for this since she died!"

"I got it from Harper." Apetrully said, feeling a bit frighten at what could be her next reaction.

"Harper?! Why were you with Harper?! Why did she even have my mother's ring!?" Hope angrily demanded.

"I-I was just so curious of your past, so I've asked the only two people who knows it. Also, Harper said that your mother gave it to her."

"Why did mom gave the ring to her?" Hope murmured to herself.

The expression on her face soften as she ask, "Why did she gave it to you?"

"Well, she said it might make talk more about your past." Apetrully explained.

A smirk appear on the pink and white monkey's face, letting her finger slip into her mother's emerald ring.

"Is that why you been acting so strange? You want to know more about me?" Hope said, tilting her head a bit.

"Well, you always seem to be so personal about your past that I thought you won't tell me." Apetrully said.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's true that my past is personal to me and I'm not just going to tell you a lot about it."

_All of this for nothing. _Apetrully thought, wishing to know something about her.

The commander stiffen when he felt Hope place a hand on his cheek. Her pink eyes were on him as Hope said, "You've always interested me, Apetrully."

"H-Huh?" Apetrully said, confuse.

"I found you interesting. You don't know most of my past while I just don't know your past." Hope said, slowly getting closer to him. "Sure, we know what we like and don't like, but the truth is that we don't know that much about each other. Yet I'm okay with that."

The two stare at each other until Hope said, "You know, maybe I can tell you something about myself. Wait here."

Hope stood up and walk over to the bookshelf. Apetrully watched as the pink and white monkey pick out a few books, carrying them in her arms. She place these books on the table, letting the covers show. The commander could see the covers were just pictures of gems, flowers, constellations, and many more.

"My mom was a fan of symbolisms," Hope said. "And I'm kind of I'm a fan, but I try to not think about that stuff much."

"Symbolism?" Apetrully said.

"You know the hidden meaning of things. For example..."

Hope quickly pick up the book with gemstone cover and quickly read one of the pages as if she's trying to get a quick reminder. She soon put it down, show the ring, and said, "The emerald is a stone of great harmony, wisdom, and love, and a symbol of hope."

The commander blinked at the pink and white monkey a few times, still pretty confuse.

"I don't know everything about it." Hope said. "My mom was better at remembering that kind of stuff than me. She's pretty smart."

_I wonder what would happen if her father was in the picture. Would she still be the monkey she is today? _Apetrully thought.

The commander watch as Hope pick up a few books and hug them against her chest. With a smile on her face, she said, "I read them rarely, but it gives a small warm feeling in me when I do. Yet, I'm afraid that I might accidental ruin them in someway."

_She seems to be so worry about the small things sometimes. _Apetrully thought.

He pay his attention back to Hope when she loudly murmured, "My birthday is on May 2, which means I'm a Taurus. The best for marriage and partnerships is the Scorpio, which is October 23 to November 22."

He froze at what she said.

_Is that... um... Astrology, right? My birthday was on November 11, so... No! No! Don't be silly. Like what Hope said, she doesn't remember everything in her mother's book. _Apetrully thought, almost hopefully.

"What?" Apetrully said.

"Sorry. Just trying to see if I could remember more of this stuff." Hope explained.

Apetrully eagerly watch as Hope pick up the book with a cover of stars. His heart pounded, watching her fingers flip through the pages. His heart stopped when he heard from the pink and white monkey say, "I'm right!"

"Are you okay?" Hope ask, seeing the commander with a look of surprise and maybe some other emotions she couldn't tell.

She wave a hand in front of his face. He quickly shook his head and said, "I'm okay! Um... It's just I'm surprise you seem be okay about telling what you like, but not your past."

"Well, they're different. It's nice to let someone know what you like." Hope said.

"Yeah..."

Apetrully blushed and said, "I was wondering... Did you ever have a crush besides the Monkey King?"

There was a small blush on Hope's cheeks.

"Y-You don't have to tell me!" Apetrully said.

"Actually, I don't have a crush on anyone now. Even with the symbolisms of love I know, I don't really know what real love is or what the signs of it could be." Hope said. "But I'm sure I'll find someone someday."

The commander smile and said, "I'm sure you will."

He stood up and said, "It's great to learn so much about you, but I have to go."

"Oh, okay. See you later, Apetrully." Hope said with a smile.

"Yeah... See you later, Hope." Apetrully said.

Then he left the room.

The commander still felt his heart beating, feeling satisfied with what just happened.

_It feels good to finally know more about her. _Apetrully thought with a smile. _She seems to be still sensitive about her past, so I'll just wait until that day comes. Maybe I should stop being so addictive with her._


End file.
